Obamacare enrollment in Virginia tops 216,000

Enrollment through insurance exchanges authorized by the Affordable Care Act has exceeded projections, according to a U.S. Health and Human Services announcement Thursday.

One month after the end of the first open enrollment period, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius reported that more than 8 million had signed up nationwide, with revised numbers showing a dramatic spike in three states, Texas, Florida and Georgia.

More than half of those signed up in states like Virginia, which has not set up its own exchange. Virginians must use a federally run insurance marketplace. In Virginia, 216,356 people enrolled by the March 31 deadline. Women account for 54 percent of enrollees. About 39 percent of those who've signed up fall into the critical 34-and-younger demographic, while 43 percent are in the more costly 45 to 64 age range.

The majority of Virginians, 62 percent, bought into the "silver" plan, which insurance brokers say offers the best value for coverage when subsidies are taken into account. One in five has purchased the lower "bronze" plan and one in 10, the high-end "gold" plan. The Virginia marketplace provides 82 percent of enrollees some subsidy to pay for premiums. A significant number — 53,208 — also purchased stand-alone dental plans.

Sebelius noted that nationwide another 3 million young people, up to the age of 26, gained insurance through their parents' plans. She also dwelled on the security and peace of mind afforded people who could no longer be denied coverage because of preexisting medical conditions or be charged more on the basis of gender. She touted the growth in minority enrollment, with African-Americans accounting for 16 percent, Latinos for almost 11 percent, and Asian-Americans for 8 percent.

Even with several states holding out against the expansion of Medicaid, more than 4.8 million adults and children have joined its rolls.

"I'm hopeful that states that haven't expanded will come on board," said Sebelius, emphasizing that its enrollment is year-round. In Virginia, where the battle over expansion continues, more than 36,000 individuals — those who discovered they qualified for existing Medicaid, rather than expansion — have been added.

The new emphasis by the government and health care advocates is on teaching consumers how best to use their new health coverage.